1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to guitar capos and more specifically it relates to a capo system for incorporating the advantages of a spring loaded short cut capo and a spring loaded regular capo into one convenient spring loaded capo system, while maintaining the ability to move both capos with one hand and improving the comfortability when squeezing the capo by incorporating padding and comfort grooves.
2. Description of the Related Art
It can be appreciated that guitar capos have been in use for years. Typically, guitar capos are comprised of capos having screws, cams or spring loaded clamps for attaching the device to the instrument neck to change their pitch. Spring loaded clamps have become popular because they can be opened and moved to a new position with one hand. A regular spring loaded capo as referenced and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,440 clamps down on all strings at once to allow the pitch of the instrument to be changed. Another type of spring loaded clamp is the short cut capo, which is altered in a way that allows the low E string (String 6) and high B (String 2) and high E string (String 1) to remain unclamped while clamping down the remaining strings on a six string guitar. This allows for chord voicings different from standard open chords and often calls for very simple fingerings which makes the chords easier for beginning players. This allows the musician the ability to play a variety of chords with less effort and adds to the enjoyability of the guitar.
The main problem with conventional guitar capos are that until now there have been no available capo system that incorporate the advantages of using both the regular spring loaded capo and the short cut capo simultaneously into one convenient capo system, while still maintaining the ability to move the both capos with one hand. Another problem with conventional guitar capos are that until now, the short cut capo was primarily designed to be placed on the 2nd fret of a standard tuned (EADGBE) guitar. In order to change the pitch of the guitar while still incorporating the characteristics of the short cut capo involved the use of a regular spring loaded capo in conduction with the short cut capo. Although this remedied the problem of changing the pitch with a short cut capo, it required the use of two hands to move both capos simultaneously to different frets upon the guitar, which nullified the advantages of a spring loaded capo to easily and coveniently move a capo with one hand and disrupts the performance of the musician. Another problem with conventional guitar capos are that prior spring loaded capos required long handles that were uncomfortable to squeeze because of the angle and design of the handles.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for incorporating the advantages of a spring loaded short cut capo and a regular spring loaded capo into one convenient spring loaded capo system.
In these respects, the capo system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of incorporating the advantages of the spring loaded short cut capo and the spring loaded regular capo into one convenient spring loaded capo system, while maintaining the ability to move both capos with one hand and improving the comfortability when squeezing the capo by incorporating padding and comfort grooves.